On Thursday morning, Mother Jones broke the news that a hush hush group of Washington right-wingers have been conspiring against not just Democrats but GOP leadership and the Republican establishment for months.
The group, known as “Groundswell,” includes several GOP power players, including Ginni Thomas (married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas), former UN ambassador John Bolton, former GOP congressman Allen West as well as a slew of operatives and congressional aides, and even some journalists. Basically, a lot of “formers.”
Their goal: To push their far right agendas even harder and hatch “a 30 front war seeking to fundamentally transform the nation.”
Apparently, the GOP is not conservative enough for them, and so they’re using their connections, power, and influence in the press to promote their ideas. Pages and pages of memos from the group’s meetings have been leaked to the media, and the content is disturbing.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
One memo takes on: Gay marriage.
After the GOP’s sweeping defeat in the 2012 elections, there was much talk about “rebranding” the party. One of the issues Republicans discussed dropping was gay marriage. It was viewed by many as a battle they weren’t going to win.
Well, the folks at Groundswell were none too pleased by this.
In a March 27 memo, the group huffed that Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus “is sending messages to the party… If we were all gay illegal aliens, the party likes us.”
Say what?
The memo continues: “[Priebus] is preparing the way for a change on social issues by giving a warning, ‘don’t go Old Testament’ and advising the party to consider what [Karl] Rove said about the next nominees could speak favorably of homosexual marriage in the campaign.”
Groundswell’s preferred solution to the GOP’s gay marriage stance: Screw what Priebus and Rove say and “embrace the libertarian and conservative wing of the party.”
Many are also raising their eyebrows at Ginni Thomas’ involvement, given her proximity to the Supreme Court.
Other memorable quotes from the group’s memos:
- “We’re failing the propaganda battle with minorities.”
- “Conservatives are so busy dealing with issues like immigration, gay marriage and boy scouts there is little time left to focus on other issues. These are the very issues the Left wants to avoid but we need to magnify.”
- “We are in a real war; most conservatives are not prepared to fight.”
- “We need to be more clever than the Left on this… Something amusing and easy for LIVs [low-information voters] to understand.”
- “We must reclaim the language and put ‘a face’ on our messages; tell stories. Write articles on 4th grade level!”
If Americans ever needed an example of how the GOP really feels about them, these memos are it.
Photo credit: Mother Jones.
Dakotahgeo
Groundswell, my a$$!!! This sounds like the other radical unchristian groups like the Dominionists, Quiverfull (the families that have so many kids and then expect the government to take care of them… unh unh!!!), et al. Keep an eye on these wackos and your ears open. They all think they’re being persecuted and harmed…! Maybe we should consider living up to their expectations and show them how good they DO have things right now! Such idiots!
2eo
Are we really surprised the religious right would stoop to these levels. christianity is the true pain of the west.
Taliaferro
forewarned is forearmed. Let us hope many read about this so that we can act to counter such ignorant bigotry. Fancy a group that thinks Karl Rove is too liberal!
Triple S
Queerty loves using the ‘Right-Wing’ buzz word, don’t they? Just because they’re not lefties or agree with your opinion, does not make them crazy right wingers. Yes, they are crazy. But crazy does not constitute left-right scaled ideology. Usually, it just means they’re crazy and disillusioned.
zrocqs
@Triple S: “…crazy does not constitute left-right scaled ideology.” Um, true. But Groundswell’s self-proclaimed (and easily identifiable) *conservative* ideology does make them ‘Right-Wingers’. And since you concede that they’re crazy, they are “crazy right wingers”.
Despite what I assume are your wishes to the contrary, the Republican Party will continue to fracture and lose its constituency. But fear not. The Democratic Party will continue its rightward drift. Maybe one day you’ll be able to find an ideological home there.
2eo
@zrocqs: As a Brit I always find it funny how you have a ridiculously skewed view on Liberal and Conservative. Obama has only enacted 3 law changes in his ENTIRE TENURE that pass as Liberal over here. Obama is next to David Cameron on the centre right scale, with a slight push he will be actually right.
Conservative in America is actually what we consider [and most political analysts] to be far right, bordering mentalist, in many places just outright mental. The Democrats haven’t being a left wing party since the 1970’s.
zrocqs
@2eo: I think maybe you meant to address your reply to Triple S., since your rebuttal seems to echo my own. If you meant to rebut me, you misread my post.
gppm1103
I think the only way we are going to stop these people is to change Congress. If it does not become more progressive nothing will change.
That includes the people who should retire including Feinstein, Pelosi, along with the usual GOPers like McConnell, Rubio, Flake, Lee…..etc…etc…
As long as these people keep running the show nothing will change for the better.
Dakotahgeo
@gppm1103: I think you’ve forgotten that Feinstein and Pelosi are two of the strongest Progressives the Congress has, and have advanced the Progressive causes faster and longer than many other people. Fortunately or unfortunately, a very small group of Republicans are worth keeping. The Groundswell will have to wait their turn to be extinct… no cutting in line. 😉